We demonstrate that the vertical Lorentz force and a corresponding lower limit of the cross-field electric current density can be calculated from vector magnetograms of solar active regions obtained at a single height in the solar atmosphere, provided that the vertical gradient of the magnetic field strength is known at this height. We use a predicted vertical magnetic field gradient derived fr...

We examine whether or not it is possible to derive the field strength distribution of quiet Sun internetwork regions from very high spatial resolution polarimetric observations in the visible. In particular, we consider the case of the spectropolarimeter attached to the Solar Optical Telescope aboard Hinode. Radiative magneto-convection simulations are used to synthesize the four Stokes profile...

Multi-wavelength observations of a sigmoidal (S-shaped) solar coronal source by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer and the X-ray Telescope aboard the Hinode spacecraft and by the EUV Imager aboard STEREO are reported. The data reveal the coexistence of a pair of J-shaped hot arcs at temperatures T > 2 MK with an S-shaped structure at somewhat lower temperatures (T ≈ 1–1.3 MK). The middle section of t...

Aims. We describe a new form of small-scale magnetic flux emergence in the quiet Sun. This process seems to take vertical magnetic fields from subsurface layers to the photosphere, where they appear above granular convection cells. Methods. High-cadence time series of spectropolarimetric measurements obtained by Hinode in a quiet region near disk center are analyzed. We extract line parameters ...

Three-dimensional large eddy simulations of solar surface convection using realistic model physics are conducted. The thermal structure of convective motions into the upper radiative layers of the photosphere, the range of convection cell sizes, and the penetration depths of convection are investigated. A portion of the solar photosphere and the upper layers of the convection zone, a region ext...

Non-uniformities of plasma and magnetic field are known to cause electric currents in plasma. Electron density gradient causes diffusion current, electron temperature gradient — thermocurrent, gradient of magnetic field module — gradient current, curvature of magnetic field lines — centrifugal current. Being independent of electric field, the currents of non-uniformities may act as extraneous t...

Systematic differences between elemental abundances in the corona and in the photosphere have been long acknowledged in the Sun; these abundance anomalies are correlated with the first ionization potentials (FIPs) of the elements. This correlation is called FIP effect. Using spectra obtained from the SUMER (Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation) spectrograph on the spacecraft SOHO...

Three-dimensional numerical simulations of solar surface magnetoconvection using realistic model physics are conducted. The thermal structure of convective motions into the upper radiative layers of the photosphere, the main scales of convective cells and the penetration depths of convection are investigated. We take part of the solar photosphere with size of 60 × 60 Mm in horizontal direction ...

We show that the coronal heating and the fast solar wind acceleration in the coronal holes are natural consequence of the footpoint fluctuations of the magnetic fields at the photosphere, by performing one-dimensional magnetohydrodynamical simulation with radiative cooling and thermal conduction. We initially set up a static open flux tube with temperature 10K rooted at the photosphere. We impo...

The atmosphere of the Sun is characterized by a complex interplay of competing physical processes: convection, radiation, conduction, and magnetic fields. The most obvious imprint of the solar convection and its overshooting in the low atmosphere is the granulation pattern. Beside this dominating scale there is a more or less smooth distribution of spatial scales, both towards smaller and large...